Times aren't good; people are struggling.

But in the spirit of the holiday tomorrow, let us be thankful for what we do have. Or don't have, like the Cleveland Browns.

OK, we have the Pirates.

As we prepare to gather with family and friends while preparing turkey and taters, let's remember the things for which we should be grateful and have a marvelous day.

Tomorrow, we give thanks. Friday, we give up our dignity.

Black Friday, of course, brings out the best and worst in millions -- starting at about 2 a.m. It's shop, shop, shop till your daddy -- or another loved one -- takes your Visa away.

One day after embracing loved ones, countless consumers will be embracing sales, CDs, video games, garments -- with their elbows high. The holiday shopping season will shift into overdrive. So will the customers.

This is the biggest retail day of the year, and for most buyers, it is a rollicking good time ... as long as the lines keep moving and would-be pulling guards curb their aggression.

Cranberries and Kmart aren't the only featured attractions of the next few days in the PG East region.

• The Franklin Regional High School marching band will give its regards to Broadway, performing in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for the second time in seven Thanksgivings. The band, directed by Kevin Pollock, can be seen during NBC's telecast from 9 a.m. to noon.

• Black Friday could be Golden Friday for the Gateway, Woodland Hills and Greensburg Central Catholic football teams. The four WPIAL title games will be contested at Heinz Field beginning at 10:30 a.m. The Gators, in the Class AAAA final for a third straight year, will take on neighboring Woodland Hills, featuring Dom Timbers, above, at about 8 p.m. The Class AA final will pit Greensburg Central and Aliquippa at about 1:30 p.m.

• This is an especially festive weekend at Greensburg Central Catholic, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary. In addition to the football game Friday, there will be a Founders Day Mass at 5:30 p.m. on campus, followed by a reception and building tours. A Golden Gala dinner will begin at 6 p.m. Saturday at Four Points By Sheraton, off Route 30, Hempfield.

Amy Colella may soon have ample reason to be thankful.

Amy, 16, of Plum, is among four finalists in "Be a Star," a nationwide online singing contest run by actress/singer Miley Cyrus.

A live Web broadcast will begin at 9 tonight at www.mileycyrus.com, hosted by country star Martina McBride, recording artist Mitchel Musso and songwriter Jon Mabe.

Each finalist's video will be shown for the first time, then voting can be done on the Web site.

Speaking of high school singers ... Hannah Jo Weisberg of Gateway won the second annual Talented Teen contest Nov. 7 in the North Hills. It was sponsored by the Greater Harmony Chorus, a chapter of Sweet Adelines, International.

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